This invention relates to artificial log assemblies. More particularly, it relates to artificial log assemblies which include both a primary burner and a neat gas burner.
For many centuries, homes have been heated with wood burning fireplaces. The aesthetic appeal of a wood burning fireplace with its warm reddish glow of embers and the flicker of yellow flame is very appealing. However, building and maintaining wood burning fires is time consuming, requires a substantial amount of maintenance, and requires the purchase of properly seasoned wood. In addition, wood burning fire places create a substantial amount of ash which must be disposed of and require an expensive chimney flue which must be cleaned from time to time.
Gas burning fireplaces having artificial logs have become popular in order to avoid some of the problems associated with wood burning fireplaces. However, until recently, gas fired artificial logs have not been nearly as realistic and as aesthetically appealing as wood burning fireplaces. In addition, until recently, gas fired artificial logs all needed a flue or vent similar to a chimney required by a wood burning fireplace.
With the advent of ceramic logs which glow red when exposed to high gas fired temperature, and with the advent of neat gas burners which cause the flames to flicker due to the deprivation of oxygen, gas fired artificial logs have been more popular. Even more recently, their popularity has increased because of the advent of the oxygen depletion sensor which enables one to use a gas fired artificial log assembly in a vent-free application, i.e., without the need for a flue vent or a chimney. This innovation has greatly decreased the cost in the installation of gas fired artificial logs.
A typical gas fired artificial log assembly is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,200. This patent shows an assembly including a primary burner in the front and a neat gas burner in the rear. The primary burner is ignited by a pilot light, however, the neat gas burner is ignited by the hot gases of the primary burner which travel through a tunnel formed in the lower portion of one of the logs.
It is believed that this type of ignition of the neat gas burner from a far removed source presents a possible safety hazard. Furthermore, the artificial log assembly described in this patent is not very realistic.